Inside Chelsea’s 13-man bomb squad as £258m worth of stars train with club legend on unused academy pitches
CHELSEA currently have a 13-man bomb squad training with club legend Carlo Cudicini on unused academy pitches.
The team of misfits features several record signings and is worth a combined £258million.
And that figure will grow even higher once Raheem Sterling returns to Cobham following his brutal axe.
Enzo Maresca is taking no prisoners with his new-look side this season.
The Italian has been tasked with transforming Chelsea into a vibrant attacking outfit.
He’s so far overseen the arrival of exciting signings including Pedro Neto, Joao Felix and Filip Jorgensen.
But it also means a number of big names have fallen by the wayside ahead of next week’s transfer deadline, with Conor Gallagher completing a switch to Atletico Madrid.
And there are now 13 players who have been separated from the main senior group.
Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Romelu Lukaku and Kepa Arrizabalaga are the biggest names who have been shunted into a group overseen by loan manager Cudicini.
The former Blues goalkeeper, who won two Premier Leagues and two FA Cups in 216 games, has been tasked with keeping them fit ahead of potential transfer exits next week.
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And the quartet have been joined by youngsters Deivid Washinton, Angelo, David Datro Fofana and Alex Matos.
The rest of the group is made up of unwanted academy graduates like Trevoh Chalobah, Armando Broja, Lucas Bergstrom, Tino Anjorin and Harvey Vale.
A major downside to being in the bomb squad is that players no longer have access to first-team facilities.
Outcasts are now training on whichever academy or women’s pitch is available at the time.
While they can only use indoor facilities belonging to the development team.
Sterling is so far the only member of the 13-man bomb squad who is yet to train under Cudicini.
He has been given several days off at home after he was told last Friday he no longer had a future at Stamford Bridge.
Sterling’s reps released a fiery statement minutes after Chelsea’s match-day squad against Man City was revealed.
Chelsea’s 13-man bomb squad
Total cost: £308m
- Romelu Lukaku: £98m
- Kepa Arrizabalaga: £72m
- Raheem Sterling: £50m
- Ben Chilwell: £50m
- Deivid Washington: £16m
- Angelo: £12m
- David Datro Fofana: £10m
- Trevoh Chalobah: Free
- Armando Broja: Free
- Harvey Vale: Free
- Alex Matos: Free
- Lucas Bergstrom: Free
- Tino Anjorin: Free
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Ilkay Gundogan is closing in on a stunning return to Manchester City.
Meanwhile, Raheem Sterling is set to leave Chelsea this summer as the winger is not a part of Enzo Maresca’s plans.
Elsewhere, Liverpool are reportedly closing in on the £29.9m signing of Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.
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But Maresca doubled down on the winger’s future in yesterday’s press conference, saying: “If he wants to speak again, I will tell him exactly the same things that I already told him.”
In total, the current 12 players training with Cudicini cost a combined £258m.
And once £50m Sterling joins them to officially make it 13, that figure will rise to £308m.
Chelsea paid a former club-record £98m for flop striker Lukaku, who hopes to be reunited with Antonio Conte at Napoli.
While Kepa remains the world’s most expensive goalie at £72m, with teams in Saudi plotting late swoops.
£50m Chilwell also finds himself out in the cold after Maresca admitted there was no spot for him in Chelsea’s new tactical set-up.
The left-back has been offered to Manchester United but could attract offers from abroad.
Sterling is another who is being eyed by Europe’s elite, although his £350,000-a-week wages could prove to be a stumbling block.
And Chalobah is yet to receive offers despite being linked with numerous sides like Crystal Palace and Newcastle.